Health Topics

Mankato man recounts fight back from major stroke, learns to speak again

 It was a typical summer evening in July 2018. Dan Boswell went home to let the dog out, and then, in an instant, his life changed.

Man survives stroke being in right place at right time

Ken Eckes was in the right place at the right time when he had a stroke. Thanks to quick treatment, he is back in the game and threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a local baseball team's "Strike Out Stroke" game.

Lucky to be with us

When an infant suffers a stroke in utero, the effects of the stroke can impact the child for life. If treated promptly, the complications from a stroke can greatly be reduced. Read on to learn how one La Crosse family was able to get the immediate help their child needed.

Mayo Clinic staff experiences collaborative care firsthand after stroke

The week after The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, Dave Berg was feeling great. But he didn't realize he would soon be the beneficiary of coordinated care after having a stroke.

Coordinated stroke care means improved outcomes

When 62-year-old Mankato resident Dale Hachfeld’s coworkers first heard him slurring his words, they thought he was trying to be funny. But when his left side gave way and he started to fall over, his coworkers knew it was no joke.

When a stroke strikes, every minute counts

The first sign of trouble was a strange sensation in Dolores Brumm’s right arm. Just a few minutes later, the 88-year-old Eitzen resident knew something was definitely wrong.

With stroke, time is survival

What happened to my arm? Why can’t I walk right? What’s wrong with mom’s face? It’s drooping on one side and her words don’t make any sense at all. Stroke hits someone about every 40 seconds in the United States — and suddenly life is changed.

Quick medical attention helped Eau Claire stroke survivor

“It was like a light switch went off.” That is how Mark Diers describes how he felt on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. He was at work at a retail store when, suddenly, he had trouble speaking and couldn’t make his right hand work correctly.

Stroke care: What is America’s grade in 2016?

Just about everyone knows someone that has had a stroke or has heard about stroke. Do you know that the chance of dying from a stroke is on the decline?

Fast care in Fairmont helped Joe Burns survive a stroke

As Joe and Pat Burns found out recently, when it comes to treating a stroke, it’s all about time.

“You need to start treatment quickly, within about three hours, for it to be most effective,” says Joe, a Fairmont resident and retired social studies teacher. Joe should know: he has survived two strokes, thanks in part to the quick action of his wife, Pat, and caregivers at Mayo Clinic Health System.

Manage your risk of carotid artery disease

Carotid artery disease occurs when fatty deposits, or plaques, clog the blood vessels that send blood to your brain and head, which are your carotid arteries. This blockage in blood vessels increases your risk of stroke — a medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or seriously reduced.

Stroke in women

Women of all ages should pay more attention to the risk of stroke than the average man, because about 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year in the United States. While stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death for men, it is the third-leading cause of death for women.